Ventilating system



June 10, 1952 E. LAMB VENTILATING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 19, 1946 INVENTOR F E [OW/1E0 L/ma ATTORN EYJ June 10, 1952 E. LAMB 2,599,925

VENTILATING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 19, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR [OW/mo LAME M, \/rba47 ATTORNEYS June 10, 1952 E. LAMB 2,599,925

VENTILATING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 19, 1.946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIELEI.

IN V EN TOR. fawn/e0 Lam/3 y mrw Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED stares PATENT om CE VENTILATING SYSTEM EdwardaLamb, San Francisco, Calif. npplieationjanuar' 19, 1946, serial N-o. 64am! .1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to a ventilating system, and more specifically, to "such system in a ship.

In ships,-ventilation is generally either natural or artificial, i.'e., Without theaidof'fans or'with fans. Of course, Where there are ample orts and hatches the s'arne condition exists as in a house, and'no other-provision'for ventilation is required although where-high temperatures are encountered, artificial ventilation is desirable. In those instances which-are"quite-common, where a ships hold has been "fumigated, .the present ventilating "systems whether of the plenumor exhaust type, are very inadequate "for "removing the gas, and a ship-maybe tiedupio'r many valuablehours waiting forthe gas to be cleared out sufllciently to enableloading'of cargo,'or' the removalof cargowhere the fumigation process has been practiced:before-the cargo has been unloaded. 7

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of 1 a system 'or o'f means whereby the hold of a ship may be cleared ot gas-far more quickly than heretofore, and "whichmeans is free "from the hazards of'sparks' iron fan motors.

Where "fire occurs in the hold of a' vessel the present methods for attempting to -subdue the same involves flooding "the particular hold 'or compartment with water or attempting :to smother it with gas or foam. 'Also insome instances, the hold in which the -flr'e has broken out'may be closed or: in the hope that thefire will findinsufliclent oxygen to supportit. This latter condition is rarely attempted and is more rarely-successful.

Another object of this invention is the provision of simple means for quickly smothering a fire in the hold-of a vessel withoutthe use of damaging water or liquid.

A still :further objeot'of the invention is the provision of means for providing exhaust or plenum type of ventilation as'desired, and for supplying heat-conditioned air where the plenum type is used;all of which is accomplished with out the use cations or blowers.

Other objects and advantages will appear in thedesciiption-and drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view taken alon line l| of Fig."2 and throughone of the-air induction devices used in-this system.

Fig.2 is a fragmentary sectional vieW of one of the air induction devices as seen atright angles to the viewer Fig. 1.

Fig. '3. is a :semi -diag'i'ammatic' view'of a ships 2 ventilating-system in'accordance with one form ofapplicants invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan'view-ofthe ship'ofFig. 3.

Fig. 5 anenlarged fragmentary semi-diagrammatieyiew ofpart of ashipfs ventilating system illustrating a slightlydifierent system of control than shown in Fig. 3-.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged -:part sectional and part elevational fragmentary view .of .-a .ships ventilating system as employed forgany oneof the compartmentsnnraoms in: the holdof theship, and which view illustrates .a ..differe nt form of the invention from that shown ;in-.Figs..'3 to 5.

The system .shown in Fig. 3 tcomprises the conventional "above-deck X ventilators vl each having 'a pipe #2 leading:therefrom into the various compartments-3 in the holdlof theship, which compartmentsmay be rooms .3-or' cargo spaces 4 separated'byxbulkheads *5. The ventilators have the customary laterally directed :bell mouth. intake :apertures: and are swivelly-supported-at their lower .ends .6- '(Fig. 15) relative :to the respective pipes I 2 .for:rotat-ion about a vertical axistso that the intake :mouth may :face the wind T01 be ,:directed awayfrom theiwind. r.Generally'-at.least two ventilators Fare provided tforfiargo rooms or compartments where theportholes are few or none, 'thus'a. forced, butnatural,"ventilation may be provided by proper adjustment of :the ventilators relativetothe wind. :All this structure is old.

Herietofore :the :pipes -2 have merelyopened into the rooms. 3. orcargo receivingspaces 4. If there were plenty of: DOIthOIESJOI' GOOIS, the. air flowing intofisaid rooms'orspacesicould beaallowed to .escape naturally, or by adjusting :the'ventilators atleast one of thepair'or more that communicates with each room or space may be adjusted to face thewind'for causing air-tobe-forced into the same, whileone orrnoreof the'others may face away from the mind for drawing air 'from such room'or space. 7

One of the "features of my invention is the provision of an air induction nozzle- 5 [0 on the lower end of one or morerof the pipe's .2 that extend into ea'ch room or compartment.

14 is for fluid under: pressure and is provide'clwith' an inlet l3 "for suchfiuid, which fluid may be steam; air, gas,' or the like.

The chamber [2 has an inner wall that ex- 3 tends into the throat II and spaced from said throat from say about .005 to about .008 inch providing an annular aperture at l5, the opposite aperture were toward the axis of the tube, there would immediately be a turbulence in the tube that would build up a pressure sufficient to render the flow through pipe 2 ineffective for accomplishing the desired result.

The tube 10 and the inner wall [4 of the air chamber 12 extend divergently away from throat H, thus forming a Venturi-shaped passageway,

and said throat II is almost the same diameter as pipe l2, no obstruction to the flow of air down pipe 2 from the ventilator l is created. Thus the ventilators will function in practically the same manner as though the air induction nozzles were not there when said nozzles are inoperative.

At the present time when many cargo ships come into port a thorough fumigation with a cyanide gas or other effective fumigant is required. Generally several days are required to eifectively fumigate a ships hold, much of which time is consumed in the use of suction blowers, fans, etc. in trying to get rid of the gas so as to be able to load the ship.

In the present instance, the air chambers l2 of the air induction nozzles are connected by steam lines with the ships boiler 2| or with any desired source of steam. Electric solenoid valves 22 for each of the devices is in the steam line adjacent each nozzle, which valves may be controlled from a remote control box 23 above deck. Upon actuating the valves for opening the steam lines to the air induction nozzles the gas in the compartments below deck is quickly sucked out, and in a matter of from one to several hours, the entire hold is absolutely free of gas and ready to be loaded. The valves 22 are then closed and loading can commence.

In Fig. 5 the same structure is shown as'in Fig. 3 in so far as the ventilators l, pipes 2 and nozzles ID are concerned. However, in this view, the valve 22 of each of the nozzles I0 is separately controlled by individual switches 25 in switch box 26. Any suitable source of electric power (not shown) such as batteries, etc. may be used for the electrical circuits in which the electric solenoid valves are connected.

7 In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, one or all of the air induction nozzles in each compartment may be actuated. Where the compartment has been fairly well exhausted of gas, fresh air may readily be drawn into the compartment by merely operating only one of the several nozzles or the actuation of the several nozzles may be varied so as to absolutely insure exhaustion of gas from all parts of the compartment.

In Fig. 6 the ventilators I are the same as in the other views- However, instead of the pipe 2 that is connected with one of the ventilators to each compartment, a second air induction nozzle is introduced into said pipe adjacent the swivel base of the ventilator or between the nozzle ID at the lower end of the pipe 3! and the ventilator I. This nozzle 30 has its annular aperture 32 directed toward the lower nozzle 10, the latter being identical with thenozzles shown in I 4 the other views. An air compressor 38 supplies air under pressure to a tank 33 and which tank supplies air through lines 34 to all of the air induction nozzles l0 and 30. Solenoid valves 22 in an electrical circuit that includes switches 35 in switch box 36 are adapted to be actuated individually by an operator at said box, the latter being preferably above deck or out of the hold.

The other ventilator or ventilators for each compartment may be identical with those of the preceding figures.

Between the tank 33 and pipe lines 34 may be an air conditioner for either cooling or heating the air in said lines according to the weather. Steam or refrigeration pipes 31 may supply heat or cold for heating or cooling the air as desired.

For passenger ships or large cargo ships this form of the invention may be preferable to the others in that it not only accomplishes all of the results of the others, but also, fresh tempered or conditioned air may be forcibly injected into the rooms for natural escape therefrom or for positive ejection in the event the nozzle It on one or more of the other ventilators is used. Furthermore, in fumigating the compartments the ventilator having the nozzle 30 therein may be used to inject gas into the compartments, and such gas may also be used in the compressor so as to get a highly concentrated gas. It is obvious, of course, that the nozzles I!) may be connected with the steam boiler of the ship instead of with the tank 33, inasmuch as it is generally just as suitable for use in exhausting gas or air from the ship as air, and where the nozzles 30 are not used to supply air to compartments, but for the introduction ofgas or a fire retardent (in some cases) steam can be used instead of air.

Ventilation or the supply of fresh air to certain or all compartments and the exhaustion of foul air, is seen from the foregoing to be one of the features of the present invention in addition to merely the removal of poison gas. Sometimes only the engine room is equipped with the system, and in such instances, the ventilation and temperature control is efficiently handled.

In the case of fire in the hold of the vessel, an efficient control is effected by merely closing the hatches and any other outlets and actuating the nozzles I0 for exhausting the air and thus starving the fire by depleting the supply of oxygen necessary to maintain combustion. In some instances, a chemical or CO2 gas can .be injected through nozzles 30, and as such gas is heavier than air, it will quickly replace the air at the flame, said nozzles in practically all instances beihg closely adjacent the ceilings of the compartments.

Once a fire is out the gas and smoke is readily cleared out by using the nozzles [0.

It is pertinent to note that by the use of my invention, the spark hazards accompanying the use of blowers is eliminated. Also the objectionable bulk and weight of blowers is eliminated. Pipes and electrical circuits generally extend to convenient parts of the-holol where attachment with the nozzles is readily effected. There being no moving parts in the nozzle, as in blowers, the uncertainty of the latter is avoided, and in any event, the air induction nozzles of the type herein described are capable of moving a far larger amount of airor gas per minute at a higher velocity than any other means of similar size and horsepower of which I am aware.

I claim:

A ships ventilating system that includes above- 5 deck ventilators provided with laterally directed air intake opening and air pipes extending downwardly from said ventilators respectively into the hold of the ship, an annular fluid actuated air induction nozzle on the lower end of each of said pipes provided with a central throat coaxial with the pipe to which it is secured, said central throatbeing the discharge outlet for air conducted from said ventilator through said pipe, an annular aperture extending around the throat in each nozzle having sides substantially parallel with the walls of said pipe, and each of said apertures being directed upwardly for discharging fluid into said pipes toward said ventilators for inducing a flow of air or gas in said hold outwardly thereof through said pipes and ventilators when said fluid is passed through said apertures into said pipes, means for conducting fluid under pressure to said apertures for so inducing said flow of air or gas, said hold including a plurality of separate compartments and a pair of said pipes and nozzles being in each of said compartments, means for selectively admitting said fluid to said nozzles as desired whereby one or more nozzles in each compartment may be actuated exhausting said compartments or for causing a forced circulation'of air in said compartments.

EDWARD LAMB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,134,940 Frauenfelder Apr. 6, 1915 1,744,468 Green Jan. 21, 1930 1,942,048 Clark Jan. 2, 1934 2,120,563 Lamb June 14, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,040 Great Britain Feb. 27, 1883 

